


Neophobia

by DittyWrites



Series: Puzzles and Phobias [4]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Batman: Arkham - All Media Types, DCU, DCU (Comics)
Genre: (will add as the story continues), Aggression, Canon-Typical Violence, Developing Relationship, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Minor Violence, Passive-aggression, Slow Burn, Snark
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-11
Updated: 2017-04-24
Packaged: 2018-10-17 19:30:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10600713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DittyWrites/pseuds/DittyWrites
Summary: Their battles are over and their lives have returned to what passes for normal for a couple of rogues, but how exactly did Jonathan Crane and Edward Nygma even develop a relationship in the first place?A look into the past reveals a heist gone awry, forcing two friendly acquaintances to see other in new lights as they share a cramped safe house to avoid a widespread manhunt. Such conditions result in both men, each ostracized and ridiculed by the world around them, coming to understand that they are far more compatible than either could have possible imagined. Or at least they would, if they would stop trying to kill each other.





	1. Long May It Continue

**Author's Note:**

> Y'all wanted it and i am always happy to oblige. This prequel will show how Edward and Jon went from friends to lovers, including their first kiss and first time together, and how such a thing developed. Hopefully should be about 10 chapters (covering around a week of their lives) and takes place one year before the opening events of Atychiphobia.
> 
> Enjoy loves xx

The dim lighting of the private bar which was hidden away in the back rooms of the Iceberg Lounge gave everything within it a mysterious edge as the shadows of the various drinking and dancing couples were only offered brief illumination before moving on. Many of the booths lay empty as the majority of the regular patrons were otherwise occupied by the scantily-clad entertainment which the lounges owner, Oswald Cobblepot, had provided in the main dining room.

Currently lounging in one of the few occupied booths, Edward Nygma could only roll his eyes at the predictability of such people. Throw a little skin their way and they would trip over themselves to eat it up. Ozzie should have known better.

Making eye contact with the barman, he gestured to his empty glass and pulled out a crisp note from his inner pocket. The barman nodded in understanding and quickly started to prepare another drink and Edward smirked at the knowledge that his reputation for being a very good tipper would ensure some excellent service for the remainder of the night.

He was in an excellent mood, a meeting with his preferred real estate agent had saw his property portfolio increase with some very tasty new acquirements. He now owned a small apartment block in West Gotham which was proposed to make a definite profit return of at least double his investment over the next year.

As the barman gently deposited his new drink on the table, Edward slid the note into his hands with a nodded thanks.

Sometimes, it was nice to simply relax after a successful day. He did not have enough opportunity to do such things these days.

Sipping the expensive gin, he plucked the small lemon twist which was hanging gracefully from the side of the glass and deposited it inside the liquid to encourage the taste to infuse further. He was not a particularly big drinker but he certainly knew what he enjoyed and tonight he fully intended to treat himself to something a different that his usual whiskey.

Leisurely taking in the tasteful décor of the bar, he made a mental to note to ask Ozzie which decorating company he had employed to design the surroundings. He fully intended to set up one of the apartments in his new building as a private safe house and the earthy tones mixed with the electric darker shades was appealing to him.

“What are you drinking?”

His thoughts were interrupted by a low voice and he refocused his attention on the dark figure who had taken a seat across from him in the small booth.

Raising an eyebrow at the brazen act, Edward pulled the glass to his lips again and took a very small sip, “Tonight? Gin.”

As he answered, his eyes zeroed in on the figure in an attempt to deduce who had taken it upon themselves to interrupt his privacy. While the face was obscured and the voice comically deepened, it was obvious that the figure was tall, even taller than Edward himself, and also thin if the sleeves on the dark brown jacket which draped over their frame was anything to go by.

Pulling off their gloves and placing them gently on the table, the figure gestured pleasantly to the drink, “Let me buy you one.”

Chuckling, Edward shook his head, “I will respectfully decline that offer, thank you. I always pay for my own drinks as it will be inevitably cheaper than whatever it is you are trying to get from me in return.”

“And who had implied that I am trying to get anything out of you?”

Leaning across the small table, the features of Jonathan Crane came into relief and although his mouth was set into a straight line, his eyes were amused.

“Hello, Edward.”

“Jonathan.” Edward greeted in response, mildly irritated that he had failed to place the scientist.

No one else would be as dramatic when a simple 'hello' would have sufficed.

Well, aside from himself that is.

“How does the day find you?”

As Jonathan shed his outer coat, Edward indicated for the barman to bring over two fresh drinks. He was unaware of what Jonathan drank but he was sure that the scientist would not wilfully reject a free glass of expensive gin. Especially if he were after something.

“I am well. My recent experimentations have all come to some level of fruition and I am confident that they will continue to excel.” Jonathan answered, tilting his head as he examined the genius seated across from him. “And yourself? It has been months since our paths have crossed and I have heard very little through the usual channels.”

“I too have been having a good run of luck recently,” tossing back the last of gin, Edward tapped the edge of his mouth with a napkin, “it seems to be going around.”

While friends were few and far between in their profession, Edward was surprised to learn that it had been so long since he had last been in contact with Jonathan. While not 'friends' in the social or even literal sense, they shared a mutual appreciation for the lives they had chosen to lead and the jobs they had worked together had always been pulled off without a hitch.

And in their line of work that was as close to a friend as they were likely to get.

Jonathan waited for the bartender to deposit his drink on the table before lifting it and inclining it towards Edward, “Long may it continue.”

“I will drink to that.”

Both men downed a small amount of liquid before settling into more comfortable positions.

“So why have you chosen to join me here tonight? We have not shared a drink together since we destroyed the main lobby of the GCPD in that chemical attack.”

Pausing, Jonathan swirled his gin within the glass, “I have a need for your services.”

“Why, Jonathan, I never imagined that you thought of me in that way!” Edward exclaimed, unable to help his natural desire to irritate others.

Frowning, Jonathan chose to ignore the immaturity, “I need you to hack into the Wayne Enterprise building next to the Sionis Mill to locate a certain set of documents for me. You will be appropriately compensated for the work of course.”

Interesting.

“Documents for what and why do you want them?”

“It is not your concern.”

Edward smirked, “Well of course it is not, but I would still appreciate an answer. I have no desire to steal whatever it is you are after. Satiate my curiosity.”

Sighing in annoyance, Jonathan explained.

“Wayne Enterprises keeps an itinerary of all its laboratory equipment within one of the safes in that building. I intend to relieve them of it. In terms of its equipment, Wayne Enterprises has some of the most advanced machinery and chemicals available and I feel they would be better suited to my own personal needs.”

“Is it a digital copy or physical?” Intrigued, Edwards' mind was already whizzing with possibility.

“Definitely physical but there may also be a hard drive or some other digital copy. You are welcome to any other items which may be held within the safe.” A generous offer.

Placing his hands beneath his chin, Edward pretended to consider his options. He had already decided to assist Jonathan, both the challenge and the possible reward appealed to him and if he kept a strong enough eye on the scientist and his attempts to psychoanalyse or possible dose him with toxin then he should have no problems.

“It will not be as simple as committing a remote hack,” he offered slowly, “Wayne Enterprise buildings cannot be easily hacked from outside. I would need to be be present within the building at the time.”

“That is hardly an issue.”

“But your choice of henchman is. No offence, Jonathan, but the brutes you hire into your service do not have the gentle touch needed for this operation. I would highly recommend that we limit it to those present at this table. I can hack the security and safe if you can ensure we remain undisturbed.”

The music in the bar switched from its previous blare to a jaunty jazz tune which Edward found himself humming along with as he waited for Jonathan to come to a decision.

Pursing his lips, Jonathan mulled Edwards' words over, “I see no reason why that should be an issue.”

“Excellent,” Edward clapped his hands together in faux excitement, “now I do not think I need to warn you against trying anything untoward, Jonathan.” His eyes narrowed. “If I found myself being thrown out of a window again I would be very upset and I do not think I would react quite as reasonably as I did the last time.”

Jonathan matched his narrowed eyes, “If you consider wiping out one of my private accounts and wasting the money on utter foolishness to be reasonable then I would hate to see you unreasonable,” he grumbled, “but my need for these documents is higher than my desire to betray you.”

Tapping his hands on the table, Edward muttered, “I am happy to hear it. Do you need me to provide a base of operations?”

“Preferably, yes. My current safe house is not fit for guests.”

Edward wrinkled his nose in distaste even as a small smile made its way on to his face, “I have recently acquired a new safe house in an apartment block so we can use that while it is still an empty shell.”

“Ideal. Location?”

Pulling out a small scrap of paper and a pen, Edward quickly jotted down the address and presented it to Jonathan who slid it into his trouser pocket without even glancing at it.

“Meet me at that location two days from now,” Edward suggested, “and that will give me enough time to gain the appropriate information which we will need to organise an infiltration.”

“Excellent,” pleased with Edwards' compliance, Jonathan was as courteous as could be as he flattered the known narcissist, “I have complete faith in your ability to pull this off.”

Beaming at the praise, Edward downed the remaining liquid in his glass.

“Now, as much as I have enjoyed this little friendly catch-up,” standing from his seat, Edward picked up his jacket and draped it over his arm, “I have had quite the successful day and I had intended to keep the celebration going well into the night. So I wish you a good day, Jonathan, and I will meet you at the safe house in two days.”

“Leaving so soon?” Jonathan inquired, surprised that Edward appeared to be calling his drinking to an end.

Shaking his head, Edward glanced towards the main bar, “I am simply moving over to one of the barstools. That attractive gentleman there had not once travelled through to view the tasteless lewd circus next door and I intend to seduce him and bring him home with me.”

Caught off-guard by Edwards' lack of shame, Jonathan was embarrassed to find that he felt a delicate blush settle on his cheeks as he understood Edwards' intentions.

“I see,” he responded, emotionless, “well I shall meet you at the safe house at the scheduled time. Goodbye, Edward.”

Slicking a hand through his hair to ensure that it was in place, Edward offered an absent-minded 'goodnight' as he walked away towards the bar.

 

x-x-x-x-x

 

Having taken Edwards' place in the secluded booth, Jonathan was enjoying his own drink as he worked through the various plans he would have to arrange for this theft to be a success. Both his offensive and defensive arsenals were lacking at the moment so he had two days to build up his supply of usable fear toxin and gas bombs.

However, despite his efforts to keep his mind on task he found that his eyes inevitably wandered over to the bar and the two men who were deep in conversation on two of its stools.

It had taken Edward less than a minute to engage the man in conversation and both were talking animatedly as Edward clearly flirted his way into his graces. Despite the various neuroses which afflicted him, Jonathan had seen first hand how charming Edward could be when he wanted something. Edwards' silver tongue had managed to acquire things which his own threats had been unable to and it was as impressive as it was infuriating.

But Edward had surprised him with his choice of partner for the night.

They had been casual acquaintances for a few years now and throughout the dozen or so plots they had hatched together, either directly or indirectly, it had never occurred to him that Edward could possibly have an interest in other men. He had both witnessed and been a victim of Edwards' various flirtatious comments but he had written them off as a side-product of his narcissism, an assumption that others would naturally be attracted to him.

Which, irritatingly, was somewhat understandable as Edward Nygma was an attractive man.

With his lean frame, presumably toned from his various exercise, and a height which many men would kill for, he was certainly well-proportioned. His face was handsome too, with inquisitive eyes which expressed his every though, and lips which were almost feminine in their plumpness. It was difficult to deny that Edward Nygma was an attractive man but Jonathan was still surprised to view his open bisexuality.

Jonathan had never seen the point in defining his own sexuality. His great granny and her twisted conservativeness and hatred for all humanity had spewed so much hate against all the relationships of the world that he had been woefully unaware of the various intricacies of sex and sexual relationships for the majority of his schooling years. A fact which his bullies had latched onto in their school yard torments.

Perhaps due to this, women had been the default throughout his late teens with the very idea of being with a man not even entering into his mind until he had properly educated himself after her timely murder. College had been his first encounter with the same sex and he had discovered that he was not particularly averse to either sex and considered them both in equal measure.

However, given his predilections and appearance, he found it somewhat difficult and frustrating to meet people whom he had any genuine interest in. Many found him to be too intimidating and avoided his presence when possible. Not that he felt he was unattractive, rather he found his own features quite acceptable, but in order to get close to someone he had to put on a false front and keep an iron hold on it the entire time they were together, lest he frighten them away.

So watching the ease with which Edward leaned in and whispered something in the blonde mans ear, causing him to stammer out a response and blush profusely, left Jonathan with a keen awareness of his own lack of social graces and ability to connect with others. He had very few friendly acquaintances in the world and he held no sexual attraction to any of them outside of a basic physical appeal, such as Harleen Quinzel.

It had been over six months since his last sexual partner, a woman, whom he had encountered at a psychology convention which he had elected to attend in disguise. They had held some very interesting discussions on hemi-spatial neglect and its influence on behaviour over a few glasses of wine before escaping to one of the hotel rooms on the upper levels. He had then left immediately afterwards.

An unfamiliar feeling wound its way around Jonathans' insides, coiling tightly as Edward placed a hand on the mans inner thigh. The feeling was warm and it caused him to clench his jaw and place his glass down a little more harshly than he intended.

It was jealousy.

He was jealous.

Surprised by the feeling, he paused to assess it.

Edwards' ability to charm and connect with people was something which he had always lacked as a skill and it was only natural to feel jealous of such a thing? Or perhaps it was the fact that Edward would be receiving physical relief from another human tonight while he would be limited to whatever pleasure he could bring himself?

Either way, he convinced himself, the jealousy was in no way, shape or form caused by the fact that Edward Nygma would be having sex with another person.

Edward Nygma, as physically appealing as Jonathan may casually regard him, with all his unbearable qualities was in no way a reasonable candidate for a potential sexual partner.

Happy with his own conviction, Jonathan downed the remainder of his drink and forced himself to consider the task at hand.

 


	2. The One At Fault

Glaring distastefully at the patch of damp which had been slowly developing in the top corner of his room, Jonathan Crane mentally chastised himself for not having prevented it.

Located just a few minutes walk from Ace Chemicals, this apartment block was one minor investigation away from being condemned.

The walls were peeling and small areas of decay were apparent on almost each surface, with the exception of his own workstation which was as pristine as it could be. The floorboards on his level were strong enough to support him and his equipment but he doubted it would remain that way in the near future. No bed, instead he was using a relatively-clean couch which had come with the space on which to sleep when he could feel exhaustion taking him.

However, the poor condition of the area also meant that it was virtually abandoned which gave him as much space as he needed to conduct his work and, all things considered, it was by no means the worst hideout he had chosen to hole up in.

That honour went to the small riverboat which he had 'acquired' in the Arkham City debacle.

The previous owner had abandoned the thing many years before and he had been quick to set himself up in it after his surgeries had healed enough to allow movement. Waylon had been the one to discover it on one of his many travels through the waters of Gotham and directed his attention towards it as part of his apology for attacking him in the sewers of the asylum.

While it was secluded and small enough to allow him to conduct his experiments without interruption it was also absolutely disgusting and, given his healing injuries, it was almost miraculous that he had not not contracted sepsis and died of infection. As soon as he was able, he had packed up and fled with the assistance of Edward, who had him smuggled out of the city in exchange for a hefty sum.

As he recalled the event, a new idea struck him.

Edward had specifically mentioned that the safe house which their new plot was to be conducted from was a recent acquirement and this information suggested that the area was unoccupied by any other tenant. Knowing Edward as he did, there was also a very high chance that the empty rooms would be considerably more comfortable than the slum he was currently situated in as the genius was not known for purchasing anything derelict.

Sighing, he forced himself to move and locate the small travel bag he preferred to use when he was in transit between living spaces. Sparing a glare for the couch he had been using as a bed, he consoled himself with that thought that at the very least, he could get a decent sleep in Edwards' spare apartment before they went through with their plot.

Plus, he could be in and out before their assigned meeting time tomorrow.

Edward would never need to know.

 

x-x-x-x-x

 

Gazing at the apartment block with a trained eye, Edward could see the hidden potential of the accommodation. It was in a decent enough area to suggest that the levels of crime and vandalism would be minimal at best and the building itself looked like a relatively pleasant place to live. Not really suitable for families due to its location but it would be ideal for many others.

Moving through the building, he took mental notes of potential work which would need to be completed before nodded hello to a young woman who was about to enter her own apartment. She gave a kind smile in response before disappearing into her home, the vague scent of a comforting vanilla making itself known as she closed the door behind her.

Pleased that at least some of new tenants looked to be normal and non-problematic, Edward pushed open the door to the empty apartment he planned to use as a base of operations.

Instantly he was placed on high alert.

Silencing his whistling, he pulled out the small handgun which was attached to his hip, a necessity in Gotham when he was not in costume and armed with his usual cane, and held it tightly in his grasp.

There was someone else inside the apartment.

He could sense it.

Slipping through the hallway, he approached the doorway of the living room and peered inside. It was virtually empty aside from two couches which lay in the centre space, an empty television stand and a small worktable which was located in the upper right hand corner.

No sign of life here but he could smell fresh food.

Moving to the other side of the hallway, he held the gun before him as he entered the kitchen space. It was comfortably large and filled with modern fittings. Following the smell of cooking food, he quickly located a small pot on the stove which contained some sort of soup, quietly bubbling away without supervision.

Straining his ears, he could faintly detect the sound of running water and he cocked the gun as he silently tread across the floors. The bathroom was situated at the back of the apartment, adjoined onto the master bedroom, and he knew that the carpet would muffle his approaching footsteps.

Whomever was stupid enough to have broken into his private space was going to regret it when the barrel of his gun collided with their temple.

Entering the bedroom, he could see the small wisps of steam emitting from underneath the door connecting to the bathroom and he took a steadying breath as he went for the doorknob.

However, before he could reach it, the knob turned itself and the door flew open.

Jerking back, the door narrowly missed his nose by a mere inch as a large shape emerged from the steam causing him to instinctively tighten his grip on the gun as he focussed it on the shape.

Pausing as he had the advantage, he allowed his eyes to dart around the unexpected figure whom had frozen in shock at the sight of the gun.

It was Jonathan Crane.

Jonathan Crane was in his bathroom.

Trigger finger relaxing only slightly, Edward was rooted to the spot.

Still wet, Jonathans' hair had taken on a darker shade than usual and was lying flat again his scalp with a few small tendrils hanging across his forehead. His face was flushed, whether from the heat of the bathroom or the embarrassing situation Edward did not know, but his eyes were wide with surprise as he was discovered.

The white towel he was holding in a clear death grip looked offensively cheap and it was in no way designed for a man of Jonathans' size to be using. Wrapped around his extraordinarily lean frame, the top of it sat just around the centre of his abdomen and reached down to just below his thighs, exposing his thin legs to Edwards' gaze.

Mortified, Edward lost the ability to speak.

He was a dead man.

There was no way Jonathan would allow him to survive this encounter with both his sanity and life intact.

“Jona-,” he stammered, “uhh-”

Deeply embarrassed but doing everything in his power to keep the blush from his cheeks, Jonathan forced himself to keep a casual stance as he interrupted Edward, “Do you mind?” He hissed as he tightened his grip on the small towel.

Inwardly cursing himself for being so foolish, he quickly turned his anger against Edward as he reacted defensively.

Recovering quickly and irritated at Jonathans' attitude, Edward cleared his throat, “Normally I would apologise for the intrusion but I think you will find that this is actually my property and you are illegally trespassing. I was unaware that you would be visiting before the arranged time.”

Unable to help his own desire to make sarcastic comments, he glanced down at Jonathans' legs before quirking a brow.

“Nice legs.”

Growling in anger, Jonathan released one of his hands from its death grip on the towel and snatched up the nearby bar of soap which he had brought with him before launching it, full force, at Edwards' smirking face.

Ducking, Edwards' smirk dissolved into a scowl, “Listen, Crane, this is my apartment. If you wished to use it then you could have at least requested permission. Do not get aggressive with me when you are the one at fault here.”

Knowing that Edward was right and unable to contest the point, Jonathan instead settled on keeping his glare.

“If you are not intending on shooting me,” his eyes darted to the gun which Edward was still grasping, “then feel free to step outside and allow me to get dressed. If you are hoping for a peep show then you are to be sorely disappointed, Nygma.”

His mouth twisted unpleasantly as Edward scoffed at the concept and he quickly had to reign in his anger as he was so casually dismissed.

“I will wait in the living room.” Edward conceded, hoping to avoid a fight as he replaced the gun into its small holster at his side as he strolled back through the bedroom door.

Jonathan rolled his eyes, “How gracious of you.”

 

x-x-x-x-x

 

_If you are hoping for a peep show then you are to be sorely disappointed._

Placing the spare mug of coffee by the other sofa, Edward grasped his own with a warm hand as he sat and considered Jonathans' hissed words. He had not been kidding when he commented on his exposed legs, they were surprisingly toned despite their thin appearance and he had been quick to pick up on a few odd scars which marred the pale flesh and their unknown origins had piqued his curiosity more than he would let on.

But he knew better than to ask.

One of the few things he had learned about Jonathan Crane was that the other man was very private in both his affairs and his own history. Through some technological sleuthing, he had been able to pick up the basics such as the scientists' age, education, blood type etc and he had even come across an interesting tidbit within the child protection database which detailed an investigation done into one Marion Crane and her alleged treatment of her grandson, Jonathan.

Nothing had come of the investigation but Edward could recognise the signs where he saw them. However, he knew that any enquiry relating to that subject would reveal his snooping and lead to either a harsh denial or a dose of fear toxin running through his veins, so he kept the information to himself.

As Jonathan finally emerged from the bedroom, Edward noted that he had obviously not been expecting any kind of company as he stood awkwardly in a plain black t-shirt and soft dark cotton trousers which stopped just above his ankles. It was the kind of outfit that he would wear to bed himself and he was forced to wonder if these were in fact Jonathans' own preferred type of nightwear.

To see Jonathan in regular clothing and not his beloved Scarecrow costume was rare in itself but to see him in such a level of undress was a little unsettling.

Gone was the Scarecrow, the Master of Fear and psychological powerhouse whose skills were unmatched by any other in his particular field, to be replaced by this tall man whose drying hair had taken on an almost fluffy appearance.

He looked...deceptively human.

Attractive even.

Jonathan cleared his throat uncomfortably and Edward averted his eyes as he realised that he was staring. Indicating the spare mug of coffee with a loose hand, he invited the scientist to take a seat on the opposing couch and he waited patiently as Jonathan made himself comfortable.

“So...” He was still in need of an explanation of why exactly the scientist had taken advantage of his empty room.

Sipping from the mug, Jonathan squinted in annoyance as he was forced to admit his situation, “My current residence is undergoing difficult at the moment and I was aware that this space was unoccupied so I saw no reason to not utilize it until my own accommodation has been fixed.”

Keen to move past the awkward situation which had just occurred, Edward smirked, “As bad at the Arkham City boat?”

“Almost.” Jonathan confessed with a sour look.

Frowning in empathy, Edward chose to be diplomatic.

“You are welcome to use this space as your own until after our robbery has taken place,” he offered, “but then you will need to vacate so I can have it redecorated to my own standard.”

Nodding his consent, Jonathan hummed, “I must say I am surprised by your offer. You are well-known amongst the criminal world for not offering your properties to those who would use them for anything...untoward.”

“That is true,” Edward nodded, “however I would also like to stipulate that while I have no problem with you using this space for plotting, I will ask that you do not conduct any experiments here as it will significantly impact the value of the building.”

“I will consent to that.”

Tapping the side of his mug with his fingers, Edward smiled pleasantly, “Then we have an accord.”

Tilting his head back, he finished the last gulp of his coffee and enjoyed the fleeting warmth which it provided. Placing the cup down again, he just caught sight of the odd look which was being sent his way.

“Yes?”

Raising an eyebrow, Jonathan asked, “Is that a bruise on your neck?”

Knowing damn well what he was referring to, it was Edwards' turn to growl in annoyance. His night with the blonde had been enjoyable enough but he had warned the fool not to leave any visible marks, a warning which he was sorry to say had been ignored.

“Yes. A bruise.” He bit out between clenched teeth.

Placing a hand underneath his chin, Jonathan leaned forward as he held Edwards' gaze, “Have you ever considered the possibility that your promiscuous nature is a result of your constant need for validation and attention from others? That your desire for the fleeting companionship of strangers is actually a stand-in for the validation which you never received from others throughout your early life?”

“Promiscuous.” Edward snorted with derision as he tactfully ignored the attempted psychological analysis. “Despite what you apparently believe, I am not some kind of emotionally vampiric prostitute. You caught me on a rare night.”

Sensing the truth, Jonathan could not help but press further, “I was also unaware that you sought company with other men.”

“I consider it somewhat selfish to keep all this” Edward gave an empty grin as he gestured to himself, “to the one gender. I am a man of the people.”

“Hmph.” Jonathan made a soft noise in his throat.

“Is that going to be an issue?” Edward asked, voice deceptively light. He had never considered Jonathan to be bigoted in anyway and to find out such a thing would severely deplete the respect he had for the scientist. He had spent too much of his life in the company of fools.

Hearing the danger in Edwards' tone, Jonathan understood that the other man had misinterpreted his response.

“Given my own proclivities, it would be decidedly hypocritical of me to find any issue with your choice of partner,” he answered honestly, keeping his face blank as he noticed the jolt of surprise as Edward understood the meaning behind his words, “and, not to be rude, but I honestly could not care less what you do in your free time, Edward.”

Mildly annoyed that Jonathan had managed to render him speechless again, Edward managed to mutter out a soft, “So, you... huh...” as he contemplated this new revelation.

Casting his mind back as far as his professional relationship with Jonathan went, Edward could not recall ever having seeing Jonathan take on a partner, let alone one of the same sex.

Feeling a little foolish at having been so presumptuous, Edward filed that information away for future analysis as he concentrated on that task at hand.

“So in terms of these documents you wish to steal,” he clapped his hands together and linked the fingers, “I have some thoughts about the best method of infiltration...”

 


End file.
